ANC loots electricity for its birthday celebrations – mayor of Kgatelopele must pay up

12 January 2021

Note to Editors: Please find attached soundbites in English & Afrikaans from Delmaine Christians, MP. 

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Northern Cape wants Danielskuil Mayor, Rene Losper, to reimburse Kgatelopele municipality for the ANC’s irregular usage of electricity during last week’s 109th birthday celebrations.

This comes after DA councillor Silvia Edwards caught members of the ruling party tapping into a streetlight for electricity to power their sound system (see pics here, here and here). Losper was apparently aware of the irregular power usage. In fact, she not only condoned it but also ensured that the Technical Manager of the municipality was summonsed to make what we deem to be an illegal connection.

The DA condemns the abuse of electricity by the ANC and in particular by Mayor Losper. It is most unfair that, while everybody else has to pay for electricity, the mayor seems to think it is justified to sponsor free electricity to the ruling party for a purely political event.

If she is prepared to abuse power for the ANC, we can only wonder what other concessions she is making for the ruling party in terms of the abuse of state resources.

Cllr Edwards engaged the Technical Manager, Thulaganyo Barnett, regarding the matter, he further indicated that the Municipal Manager was aware of the illegal connection of electricity.

The DA also reported the matter to the South African Police Service (SAPS) who visited the scene, whereafter the ANC eventually packed up the sound system. Edwards has further prepared a motion to be tabled at the next council sitting to request that the matter be thoroughly investigated, that Losper be held responsible for the utility bill and that measures be put in place to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.

I have meanwhile submitted a letter to Dr Zamani Saul, in his capacity as chairperson of the ANC, to personally inform him of the party’s behaviour, which is a serious indictment given the state of municipalities across the province and the country. The DA appeals to Saul to look into this matter and to speak out against such blatant abuse of the system in future.

Electricity is an increasingly scarce and critical resource. It should be used with the utmost care and responsibility and protected against all forms of abuse.

Issued by Delmaine Christians, DA Constituency Head of Idwala, 12 January 2021